Fritillaria meleagris (Snake's Head, Fritillary, Checkered Snake Lily)
Michael's Opinion
A plant from a great genus, a class bulb for both meadow and garden.
Botanical Information
| Family | Liliaceae |
| Genus | Fritillaria |
| Species | meleagris |
| Category | Bulbs, Perennials |
| Origin | Southern England and Western Russia. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 8b - 9a |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 7b |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H5 (observed growing welling H7) |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -15 to -10 |
| Temperature (°F) | 5 - 14 |
| Height | 10 - 50 cm |
| Spread | 10 cm |
| Growth | Fast |
| Flowering Period | April, May |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | Small bulbous perennial plant. |
| ID Characteristic | Lance shaped grey-green leaves with weeping bell-shaped checkered purple flowers. |
| Shape | Upright. |
| Landscape | Rock gardens, raised beds or woodland gardens. Plant in large groups or swaths for best effect. |
| Propagation | Seed, division of offsets, or collect and sow 'rice-grain' bulbils. |
| Cultivation | Handle the delicate bulbs carefully, and plant at four times their own depth. They prefer fertile, well-drained soil and damp summers. |
| Pests | Slugs and lily beetles. |
| Leaf Description | Alternate, sharply pointed, grey-green linear leaves 6 - 13 cm long. |
| Flower Description | The flowers, produced in spring are usually solitary but sometimes paired. Pendant, square-shouldered bell shaped, up to 4.5 cm long and white, purple or pinkish-purple with characteristic checked markings. |
| Colour Description | Medium green foliage, yellowish-green to medium green stems and variegated flowers. |
Photographs
F. meleagris var. unicolor subvar. alba
Scanning electron microscope image of pollen grain.
Awards
